Rumor: Microsoft’s Andromeda Portable Device Delayed to 2019

We’ve previously reported on rumors, leaks and the existence of a possible Microsoft Surface Phone codenamed Andromeda, but it looks like the small, foldable and portable device has been delayed to at least 2019. Apparently, the current hardware available doesn’t provide a good enough experience, so Microsoft would rather wait until both the hardware and the software are on point.

That is being reported by Thurrott, who has proven to bring reliable Microsoft and Surface news in the past. The Andromeda device has been in development for a while now, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 soc was (at the time) the fastest available chip for a portable device. Despite the 835 is compatible with Windows 10 operating systems, the chip apparently wasn’t speedy enough to ensure a pleasant user experience. Instead of trying out the current Snapdragon 845, it looks like Microsoft will be skipping this generation in favor of the previously announced and faster Snapdragon 1000 chip, which has been engineered specifically for Windows 10 devices, making it a great fit for a possible ‘Andromeda’ Surface phone.

The reputable tech site’s sources also claim that Andromeda has not been shelved, but will be redesigned completely with the new hardware in mind which is another reason for the hefty delay. Apparently, Microsoft is worried that the bad performance of this product would put a dent in the reputation they’ve built up with their Surface products.

A number of previously shown renders would be a good representation of Andromeda’s engineering samples, with two foldable displays that can be combined to form one large screen.